ospenser Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Currently in South Miami area - LOVE the site name!!! been sailing since i was 8, skippering lightnings to ravens to caravel 23' to Erickson 27' and even a Beneteau 41(?) between St. Lucia and Grenada - and the sporadic flings on Hobie cats and sunfish. I've been given a Spindrift 13 without a mast - but all the rigging. So likely i will have to either fit an exiting (hobie?) mast onto it, or order one custom - (not likely) or make my own - i am not without plenty of woodworking experience and tools/equipment - but NO experience in this area. So hello! and . . . Where should i post this issue? maintenance or woodworking or design? Thanks in Advance. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAR Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Building a simple box section mast is about as easy as it gets, Mike. It's not as attractive as a round section mast, but I could say the same about my other half too. A birdsmouth mast would be a beautiful addition and it's not very hard either, plus it's a well documented process here and elsewhere. If memory serves me, the mast is about 18' tall. Carrying a 130 sq. ft. of area. A 20% wall thickness, birdsmouth mast would be 2.5" at the base, with a continuous taper to the 2" mast top. This mast is eastern white spruce will be about 9 1/2" pounds, about 10 pounds if Sitka and nearly 12 1/2 pounds if Douglas fir. This is a "cruising" mast scantling, you could go lighter if desired, though breakage becomes a possibility. Finished bright a very pretty thing. With the fractional rig, you may want more stiffness in the lower section so a 2 5/8" base, tapering to 2 1/4" at the headstay tang, then increasing it's taper to 1 5/8" at the mast top will produce a stiffer lower section, but a bendy upper, so the main can depower in gusts (a good thin in small craft). This mast will be naturally heavier, but bendy where you want it. This stick would weigh about 11 pounds if eastern white spruce, 11 1/2 pounds id Sitka and 14 1/2 pounds if Douglas fir. Again this is a cruising scantling, you could safely go 15% smaller in most sailing areas, if properly stayed. The DM-1 Dwyer mast section that came with the boat, weighed 9.5 pounds (about 10 1/2" pounds with cap and step), so as you can see a birdsmouth stick isn't a bad option and would sure spruce up the looks a bunch. If you did purchase the Dwyer section, the raw extrusion will cost about $250 bucks (retail), plus shipping, plus options, like the cap, sail feed location (bolt rope groove extrusion), tangs, step, etc. It wouldn't look as good, will "clang" when the halyards and lifts slap against it and it wouldn't have the taper unless you paid to have it cut and welded (read expensive). As you might be able to gather, I'm attempting to convince you into a birdsmouth mast. It's a fun project and a beautiful reward when done. I make a few masts, booms, reaching poles a year using this method and it's easy and rewarding. My blatant birdsmouth plug is complete and welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ospenser Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Thanks and WOW. sounds fairly feasible. Gotta say i wasn't looking forward to trying to fit someother mast to this boat. ini will look for the birdsmouth mast doc here. i have a powermatic 64 tablesaw, bandsaw, lotsa tools, and a fair amount of woodworking training/ amateur experience. So YOU (being a PRO of course) make it sound fairly easy, but i will dig in. That mast on the lightning was always a nice touch - dont see enough wood in boats these days. GREATLY appreciated!!!!! Mike Building a simple box section mast is about as easy as it gets, Mike. It's not as attractive as a round section mast, but I could say the same about my other half too. A birdsmouth mast would be a beautiful addition and it's not very hard either, plus it's a well documented process here and elsewhere. If memory serves me, the mast is about 18' tall. Carrying a 130 sq. ft. of area. A 20% wall thickness, birdsmouth mast would be 2.5" at the base, with a continuous taper to the 2" mast top. This mast is eastern white spruce will be about 9 1/2" pounds, about 10 pounds if Sitka and nearly 12 1/2 pounds if Douglas fir. This is a "cruising" mast scantling, you could go lighter if desired, though breakage becomes a possibility. Finished bright a very pretty thing. With the fractional rig, you may want more stiffness in the lower section so a 2 5/8" base, tapering to 2 1/4" at the headstay tang, then increasing it's taper to 1 5/8" at the mast top will produce a stiffer lower section, but a bendy upper, so the main can depower in gusts (a good thin in small craft). This mast will be naturally heavier, but bendy where you want it. This stick would weigh about 11 pounds if eastern white spruce, 11 1/2 pounds id Sitka and 14 1/2 pounds if Douglas fir. Again this is a cruising scantling, you could safely go 15% smaller in most sailing areas, if properly stayed. The DM-1 Dwyer mast section that came with the boat, weighed 9.5 pounds (about 10 1/2" pounds with cap and step), so as you can see a birdsmouth stick isn't a bad option and would sure spruce up the looks a bunch. If you did purchase the Dwyer section, the raw extrusion will cost about $250 bucks (retail), plus shipping, plus options, like the cap, sail feed location (bolt rope groove extrusion), tangs, step, etc. It wouldn't look as good, will "clang" when the halyards and lifts slap against it and it wouldn't have the taper unless you paid to have it cut and welded (read expensive). As you might be able to gather, I'm attempting to convince you into a birdsmouth mast. It's a fun project and a beautiful reward when done. I make a few masts, booms, reaching poles a year using this method and it's easy and rewarding. My blatant birdsmouth plug is complete and welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Potts Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 Welcome Mike! Maybe a Spindrift owner will chime in with the mast dimensions for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ospenser Posted May 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 thanks - i found a box construction mast layout here (18' as well) http://hartleyts14.blogspot.com/2011/02/spar-making-part-1.html seeing as i have a main that requires this kind of slot i think i'll go with this. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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